Stanchion apparatus



Jan. 31,

Filed Jan.

R. E. COLLINS STANCHION APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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A 12W/KX@ Jan. 31, 1961 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 R. E. COLLINS sTANcHIoNAPPARATUS 42 Sheets-Sheet 42 INVENToR. R/J'J'Z. CUL/N5 Unite StatesSTANCHION APPARATUS Russell E. Collins, 311 S. Market, Oskaloosa, IowaFiled Jan. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 709,351

4 Claims. (Cl. 119-98) This invention relates to :a stanchion apparatusfor catching and holding domestic animals, such as cattle, and moreparticularly to a stanchion apparatus including a swingable door and alatch mechanism therefor for holding cattle while they are being treatedfor tuberculosis, Bangs disease and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedstanchion apparatus for catching, holding and releasing domesticanimals.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stanchionapparatus having a swingable door and a latch mechanism therefor with animproved manner of co-action therebetween.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedlatch mechanism for a stanchion appa-Y ratus comprising a movable roddevice normally maintained at a lower limit of movement and beingcooperable with relatively movable members to form a locking structurefor a swingable door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stanchionapparatus including a swingable door and a latch mechanism thereforwhich is simple of operation, eflicient of use, and economical ofmanufacture and installation.

These and other objects will become readily apparent from the followingdescription and the `accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stanchion apparatus arranged inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken along the lines 2 2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 ofFig. l; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side elevational views of an adjustabledoor feature of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the stanchion apparatus 7 (Fig. l) ofthis invention is secured between a pair of laterally spaced uprightjambs 11 and 12 and comprises a rectangular frame unit 8 to which a doorunit 9 is swingably attached on one side, the other side beingreleasably engaged by a latch mechanism 10 operatively connected to theframe unit 8. The upper frame portion of the apparatus 10 comprises apair of spaecd angle irons 13 which are secured, as by bolts 14, at oneend thereof to an upright frame member 16 and at the other end toanother upright frame member 17, as by bolts 1S, the frame member 17being spaced outwardly from the post 11.

The frame member 16, which is the right vertical side of the stanchionapparatus frame as seen in Fig. l, is secured to the jamb 12 by bolts 19(Fig. 3). The lower frame portion comprises a pair of laterally spacedangle irons 21 (Figs. 1 and 2), similar to the upper irons 13, which aresecured at their right ends to the post 16 by bolts 14, and which aresecured adjacent their other ends to the post 17 by bolts 18. The leftvertical side of the frame comprises a at bar 22 (Figs. 1 and 3) whichis secured to the jamb 11 by means of bolts 23. The

bar 22 has a pair of integral bore-forming elements 24 and 26 providedat the top and bottom thereof, respec tively, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

A pair of angle irons 27 (Figs. l and 2), similar to but of a shorterlength than the upper angle irons 13, are placed in a back to backrelation on top of a corresponding upper angle iron 13, each iron 27having formed at the inner end thereof a claw or clamp member 28(Fig. 1) which engages the outwardly extending horizontal flange of thelower angle iron 13; the inner ends of the irons 27 being securedtogether, as by a bolt 29 inserted through their vertical legs (Fig. 1),the bolt 29 passing through a spacer 30 inserted therebetween. The outerends of the angle irons 27 are secured to each other by a bolt 31 whichextends through the bore-forming element 24 of the bar 22 (Fig. 1). Apair of U-clamps 32 are placed above and below the joined pairs of angleirons 13 and 27, and are secured together as by bolt 33.

The lower pair of angle irons 21 (Figs. 1 and 2) are joined along theirbottom surfaces by a pair of angle irons 34, similar to but of shorterlength as indicated, each of which have a claw member 36 (Fig. l) at theinner end thereof which hooks over the outwardly extending flange of therespective angle iron 21 thereover. The inner ends of the angle irons 34are secured together as by a bolt (not shown) and the outer ends arealso secured together by a bolt (not shown) which extends through thelower bore-forming element 26 of bar 22 (Fig. 1). The lower pairs ofangle irons 21 and 34 are secured together by a pair of U-clamps 37, theU-clamps being secured by a bolt 38.

The arrangement of the upper and lower pairs of angle irons, 13, 27 and21, 34 respectively, is such that by merely loosening and re-tighteningthe clamping devices provided therefor, the claw members and theU-clamps, each pair may be adjusted as to its combined length, wherebyit is obvious that the width of the frame unit 8 may be adapted withinlimits to fit between jambs 11 and 12 of varied types and spacings.

A door unit 9 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided for the stanchion apparatusand comprises several door panels 42 placed in a side-by-side relationand secured at the top and bottom by a metal strap 43, which is attachedto the panels 42 by means of bolts 44. A catch member 46v (Figs. 3-5) isformed by a closed loop at the outer end of each strap 43 and extendslaterally outwardly from the free side 45 of the door, the other end ofeach strap 43 being secured to the post 16 by a conventional bolt andspring unit 48 for obtaining a floating swinging movement of the doorunit 9. A laterally adjustable bar 49 (Figs. 4 and 5) has its upper andlower ends guidably movable in a space 51 (Fig. 3) formed by the outercatch memberforming portion of each strap 43 being returned and securedon the opposite side of the panel 42 in a spaced relation to the mainportion of each strap 43. A pair of elements 52 (Figs. 4 and 5) arepivotally secured, as by bolts 53, between the inner door panel 42 andthe bar 49 as indicated. An elongated element 54 is also pivotallysecured at one end to the bar 49, as by a bolt 56, and has a series ofserrations 57 formed along the base of the other end for the selectivereception therein of the lower leg 0f a U-shaped member 58, both legs ofwhich are permanently secured in a door panel 42. By this arrangement,the bar 49 may be laterally adjusted to vary the width of the door unit9 fora purpose hereinafter described.

A latch mechanism 10 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) for releasably engaging the doorunit 9 comprises a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically disposed rods61, each movably secured to the frame member 17 by an eyelet screw 62.Each rod 61 is bent outwardly at right angles at the top 63 for apurpose hereinafter described.` A pair of 'L-shaped' plate members 64,comprising a back member 66 and a base 67, each have their back member66 secured to the inside of the frame member 17, as by bolts 68,immediately above and .below .the lower fand upper .portions,respectively, ofthe stanchionk frame. EachA plate member 64 is securedso that the basek 67extends horizontally outwardly from the member 17 ata location whereby, .upon a swinging movement of the door unit 9,4thecatch member 46-moves in a horizontal path immediately above and overthe base 67. The ends of thebase 67 are bent downwardlyk at 69 (Fig. 2)to aidin guiding a respectivecatch member 46 thereover. A pair ofhorizontally spaced, vertically elongated slots 71 (Fig. `2) are formedin the back member 66 of a plate member64, each slot being placeddirectly in front ofa rod 61. A relatively at member 72 is securedagainst the vinner side of Vthe.frame member 17 and extends between theplate members 64 (Rigs. 1 and 2).

A pair of horizontally spaced keeper plates 7-'7 (Fig. 2r), each havin-ga back member 78, -an outwardly extending base 79, and an inner sidemember 81, are each pivotally secured at the outer end of the backmember 78, by a pivot bolt 82, to the back member 66 of -each platemember 64, the pivot point being a spaced distance above theshelf-forming lbase 67 lof the member 64. The inner end ofeach keeperplate y77 is pivotally secured to a pivot pin 83, which pin is pivotallysecured in turn through a respective slot 71 to the rod 61 directlytherebehind. It is here to be noted that each rod 61 is free to movedownwardly due to the force of gravity, the downward movement beinglimited only by the respective pivot pins 83 secured thereto, contactingthe Vlower extremes of their respective slots 71. In the lower positionof each rod 61 (Fig. 2), it is noted that the inner end of each keeperplate 77 lies closely adjacent the shelf forming base 67 of a plate 64and vis located in the horizonal path of movement of a respective upperor lower catch member 46 (Fig. l).

A plate 90 (Fig. l-) is secured to the top ofthe frame member 17, 'theinner end of which extends angularly upwardly from the secured end andhas 'a bore-forming element 91 at its extreme inner end. `A pin 92 isinserted through the bore forming end 91 of the plate 90 and extendsoutwardly from each end thereof. A lever member 93.1'8 pivotallyAsecured to each end of the pin 92 and has a free end 94 adapted formanual actuation, the other end 96 of the lever 93 being secured to thetop '63 of a rod 61, as by a cotter pin 97. It may here be noted that asthe main portion of each rod 61 is -vertically disposed beneath theoutwardly extending anges of the upper pairs of angle irons 13 and '27(Fig. 2), it isnecessary, for the proper connection of a rod 61 with therespective lever member end 96, that the upper end 63 of each rod 61 bebent outwardly and upwardly at right angles to the main portion of therod 61. The lever arrangement is such, that by a depression of the freeend 94 of a lever 93, the rod 61 attached thereto is raisably moved froma gravitationally assumed lower position to an upper position, whereinthe respective vertically spaced keeper plates 77, attached thereto viathe pins 83, are pivoted upwardly and away from the shelf forming member67, thus unblocking the horizontal movement of the catch members 46 andforming a horizontally disposed slot through which a catch member 46 mayfreely move.

' To permit the entrance and exit of animals into the stanchion fromeither side thereof, the latch mechanism is adapted to receive the doorunit 9 from either side thereof and to release the door unit formovement to either side. As best appears in Fig. 2, the pivotalarrangement of the keeper plates 77 is such that upon movement of thedoor unit from an unlatched position toward a latched position, thekeeper plates 77 on the sides of the plate members 64 toward the movingdoor unit 9, are forcibly pivoted upwardly upon contact by the latchmember 46 against the downward force of their respective rod 61 vandlever 94 units. The keeper plates 77 will pivot either clockwise orcounterclockwise depending from which side of the latch mechanism 10 thedoor unit 9 approaches. Each catch member 46 thereby passes through aslot formed by the lower end 79 ofthe keeper plate 77 and the shelfmember 67, and into the intermediate space formed between each pair ofhorizontally spaced keeper plates 77.

After passing the one keeper plate, the catch member 46 is preventedYfrom further movement in the same direction by the other keeper plate77 which is in its lower position in the horizontal pathof movement ofthe catch member 46 Aand which is pivotally immovable by the catchmember due to the blocking action of the shelf member 67. The lockingofthe latch mechanism 10 is completed, after the catch member 46 haspassed the rst set of keeper plates 77, by the upwardly forced rod 61gravitationally re-asumming its lower position whereupon the keeperplates 77 attached thereto also drop into their lower position whereinthey are adjacent the shelf members 67. It is obvious that in theposition wherein both keeper plates 77 are in their lower positionsforming a bracket about the respective catch members 46, the door unit 9is prevented from swingable movement, until either of the lever ends 94are depressed, as an attempted movement of the catch members 46 ineither direction would but tend to pivot the left set of keeper plates77 clockwise (Fig. 2) and the right set counterclockwise, both attemptedpivotal movements being resisted by the respective shelf members 67.

When in operation, the space between the door unit 9, when in a latchedposition, and vthe vinner side of the frame member 17 is adjusted bymeans of the adjustable bar 49 so as to be of a sutiicient width only toallow the neck of an animal to pass therethrough without injury, whilepreventing either the head or the shoulders of the animal from alsopassing therethrough. The door unit 9 is swung toward the direction theanimal approaches in a manner to present a partial opening, so that whenthe animal inserts its head between the space vformed between the leftvertical side of the stanchion frame and the partially opened door unit,the shoulder vof the animal adjacent the door unit 9 contacts and forcesthe unit into the latching mechanism 10 whereby the door unit 9 islocked due to the hereinbefore described locking action.

VTo release 'the door unit 9 from its latched position, therebyreleasing the animal from its caught position within the stanchionapparatus 7, the lever member 93, located on the opposite side of thestanchion apparatus as the animal, is depressed, whereby the respectiverod 61 thereattached and its vertically disposed keeper plates 77 aremoved upwardly and allow the catch members 46 and the door unit 9 to bemoved out of the locked position and swung away from the latch mechanism10. The animal is then free to move forward and through the stanchionapparatus 7, the apparatus then being placed in position to catch andhold the next animal.

Although one particular embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein, it is not to be so limited. On the contrary, various alterationsand modified constructions may be made without varying from the truespirit and scope of the invention, as disclosed in the appended Claims.

I claim:

1. A stanchion apparatus comprising a frame means, door means swingablyattached at one side to a vertical side of said frame means and whereinthe other side is horizontally spaced from the other vertical side ofsaid frame means and has a horizontally extending catch member securedthereto, latch means movably attached to said frame means including apair of horizontally spaced, vertically disposed rod members, a platemember secured to said frame means and being disposed between said rodmembers and said catch member and having a horizontally spaced pair ofvertically elongated slots formed therein, ashelf-forming member securedto said 'ame means adjacent the base of said plate member and extendingoutwardly from said frame means in a position wherein said catch membermoves horizontally directly over said shelf member, and a pair ofhorizontally spaced keeper plates each pivotally secured at an outer endto said plate member a spaced distance above said shelf member and beingpivotally secured at an inner end to a respective rod member by a pivotelement extending through a respective slot, said rod members being freeto fall a vertical distance limited by their pivot elements resting atthe bottom of the slots whereuponthe inner ends of said keeper plateslie adjacent the shelf member on either side of and in the path ofhorizontal movement of said door means catch member, and means securedto said frame means being connected to said rod members and beingoperable to move said rod members vertically upwardly whereby saidkeeper plates are pivotally moved upwardly and away from said shelfmembers and out of the horizontal path of movement of said catch member.

2. A stanchion apparatus comprising a frame means, door means swingablyattached at one side to a vertical side of said frame means, the otherside of said door means being laterally spaced a substantial distancefrom the other vertical side of said frame means and having laterallyadjustable means adaptable to vary said space, and said door meanshaving further a catch member of relatively narrow width extendinglaterally therefrom, latch means movably secured to said other verticalside of said frame means comprising a pair of horizontally spaced,vertically movable rod members operatively engaged with a keeper meansincluding a horizontally spaced pair of keeper plates movable into orout of the path of horizontal movement of said catch member, and levermeans secured to the top of said frame means and including a pivotelement on each side of which a lever member is pivotally mounted formovement independent of the other lever, one end of each lever beingsecured to an upper end of a rod member whereby said respective rodmember is movable from a gravitationally assumed lower position whereina respective keeper plate is in said path of movement of the catchmember to an upper position by actuation of the respective lever memberwherein the respective keeper plate is withdrawn from said path.

3. A stanchion apparatus comprising a frame means, door means swingablyattached to one vertical side of said frame means, and latch meanssecured to the other vertical side of said frame means comprisingvertically extending connecting means operatively engaged with a shelfmeans having a portion extending outwardly from said frame means, theoperative engagement occurring by means of a pair of keeper plates eachpivotally se cured at one end to said shelf means and at the other endto said connecting means through a slot formed in said shelf means, saidkeeper plates movable by said connecting means from a position spacedupwardly from said shelf portion to a position contacting said shelfportion, whereby when said keeper plates are in said upwardly spacedposition said catch member is horizontally movable between said shelfportion and said keeper plates and when said keeper plates are in saidshelf portion contacting position said catch member is held between saidkeeper plates.

4. A stanchion apparatus comprising a frame means, door means swingablyattached at one side to an inner vertical portion of said frame meansand having laterally extending catch means at the other side thereof,and latch means for releasably holding said door means via said catchmeans and including vertically movable means disposed along the verticalportion of said frame means opposite said door means attachment, pivotalmeans attached to the top of said frame means and moving said verticallymovable means from a gravitationally assumed lower position to an upperposition, plate means secured to said opposite vertical portion, a pairof horizontally spaced keeper elements each pivotally attached to saidplate means and to said vertically movable means, and movable, uponmovement of said vertically movable means from said lower position tosaid upper position, from a position forming a bracket about said catchmeans to a position wherein said keeper elements are moved out of thehorizontal path of movement of said catch means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS969,678 West Sept. 6, 1910 1,245,057v Stillings et al. Oct. 30, 19171,447,705 Anderson Mar. 6, 1923 1,461,591 Wayrynen July 10, 19232,214,969 McNett Sept. 17, 1940 2,554,558 Bush May 29, 1951 2,661,971Reymann Dec. 8, 1953 2,693,043 Leake Nov. 2, 1954 2,693,653 Dean Nov. 9,1954 2,698,601 Pfullman Jan. 4, 1955 2,701,927 Dyer Feb. 15, 19552,786,289 Koch Mar. 26, 1957 2,822,630 Guyer Feb. 11, 1958 2,833,248Meyer et al. May 6, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,168 Great Britain Feb. 22,1956

